


The Treasure

by Talon88



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24771295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talon88/pseuds/Talon88
Summary: This is part of the DARE CHALLENGE. I had to write a story 2500 words or less that had the following word prompts included:* A run in with the law* A treasure chest*Han and Poe* line of dialogue: 'I've had better partners.'* a nerf hair longcoat* a Force Ghost cameoNo angstSaga - STNo Rey or Finn





	The Treasure

Poe Dameron raised up the collar of his nerf hair long coat and tried to blend into the shadows. He knew he should be honored to be hand-picked by General Leia Organa for this mission, but he thought it was a waste of his talents. He was a pilot, not a spy. His strengths were maneuvering an X-wing through blaster fire, not tailing a person through crime infested underworld spaceports or smuggler’s dens.

He shook his head dumbfounded that the Resistance General somehow discovered his seedy past as a spice runner on Kijimi and therefore assumed he would be the perfect person to track down another former spice smuggler.

“Kriff,” he muttered under his breath when he realized the person that he was following was no longer visible. He stepped out of the shadows and was immediately snatched off the ground by something big and hairy. He was fumbling with his blaster when a familiar growl assaulted his ears. He looked up at the beast holding him up by the lapels of his jacket. “Chewbacca?”

The Wookiee made a sound of amusement before not so gently dropping Poe on the ground. “Hey Chewie,” he said trying to sound casual. “What a surprise meeting you here.”

“What is really a surprise,” came a gruff voice from behind him. “Is you not realizing we ‘made’ you over two hours ago. We were just amusing ourselves with your shoddy attempt at tailing somebody.”

Poe sighed deeply before turning around and addressing the newcomer. “Hello, Captain Solo. If you spotted me two hours ago you could have at least waved me over for drinks at the last cantina.”

Han Solo, smuggler and former general of the Rebel Alliance chuckled at the young man. “I would have if I thought there was a chance in hell of you paying for the drinks.” He gave Poe a stern gaze. “So, tell me why you’re following me.”

Poe shrugged a shoulder. “Your wife worries for your safety.”

Han laughed causing Chewie to laugh with him. “It is more likely she wants to make sure a good-looking guy like me is not out carousing. She always had a jealous streak in her.”

Now it was Poe’s turn to laugh. “What? No! I really doubt she is worried about that. I mean, you're…what? Seventy? Can you even…”

Han held up a hand. “Don’t finish that thought unless you want me to tell Chewie to pull off your arms and beat you senseless with them.”

Poe glanced over to the Wookiee looming over him. “Sorry.”

“Go back to Leia and tell her I’m fine and she is the only princess for me.”

Poe sighed deeply. “Han, why don’t you go back to Resistance base and tell her yourself. I know she misses you.”

Han’s expression took a hard edge before it softened. “I miss her too, but I am trying to track down something that could help the Resistance. Why else would I be on Ryloth?”

“And what is that?”

Han looked up and down the now nearly deserted street before leaning close to Poe and saying, “A treasure chest.”

Poe knitted his brow. “Like in a pirate’s treasure?”

Han scowled at the younger man. “Yes, like pirates. Haven’t you heard of the Zann Consortium?”

“Who hasn’t? Tyber Zann, pirate and crime lord, was captured on Felucia and sent to the spice mines of Kessel.”

“Yes, but before he was captured, he gave a treasure chest he stole from Jabba the Hutt to his partner Urai Fen, a Talortai, who escaped to Ryloth and put the treasure in the Ryloth palace vaults. It was one of the last Zann Consortium strongholds.” Han gestured to Chewie. “Urai talked Chewie and me to help ‘liberate’ Zann from Kessel. We were promised the treasure, but before we could retrieve it, Jabba attacked the palace.”

Poe looked at Han questioningly. “So, Jabba has it?”

He shook his head. “No, my friend Lando spent time undercover at Jabba’s palace as a guard and he said Jabba always complained about not finding the treasure on Ryloth.” The older man motioned for Poe and Chewie to follow him down the dusty road leading up to the Ryloth Palace. “I discovered that there is a cave tunnel system under the palace and a secret vault. I’m sure it is in there.” He gestured at two Twi’lek police officers standing at the corner of the street near a sewer drain cover. “We just need to get below the street, hike through a bit of sewage until we get to the cave system on the west side of town. Chewie and I could use another partner in crime, if you’d like to help.”

Poe stopped in the road. “What?” She shook his head adamantly. “I am not going into the sewer. I’m here to take you back to Leia. According to her, she’s in need of your skills.”

Han stopped and turned to Poe, a lopsided grin on his face. “My skills? I thought you believed my skills have eroded with age.”

Poe made a look of disgust. “Eww, I really don’t think that is what Leia meant.”

Han winked. “You never know kid…but sorry to disappoint. I’m not coming back empty handed.”

He turned to continue walking toward the two police officers, but Poe grabbed the man by the arm and spun him around. “I hate to do this, but if you don’t come with me, I may have to tell Leia something that might spur you to join her side…you know, to explain yourself.”

Anger narrowed Han’s eyes and stiffened his jaw. “And what that might be?”

Poe feigned innocence. “I don’t know…” He made a suggestive pump of his hips. “Maybe that you have been off rescuing other princesses…despite your age.”

Han’s face turned a deep scarlet. “Why you disrespectful, ankle-biting, buzzboy. I outa…”

“Problem, gentlemen?” Poe looked past Han to the two uniformed male Twi’leks that approached their position. Both gazed at Han questioningly, their Lekku twitching, and with sharpened teeth exposed.

A half smile crossed Han’s face as he slowly turned to the two men. “No problem, no problem at all.” He threw a thumb in Poe’s direction. “Other than this callboy is trying to lure me into a back alley…probably to roll me. I’m an old man. This is elder abuse.”

Poe’s jaw dropped. “Callboy? That’s ridiculous.”

The two officers stared at Poe. “What was that hip motion about?”

“I was joking. And why would I try something with a man with a Wookiee?”

The two police officers turned and looked at each other before looking back to Poe. “What Wookiee?”

Poe spun around and realized Chewie had disappeared into the night. He returned his attention back to the police then pointed to Han. “This is Han Solo; he travels with a Wookiee. He’s married to Princess Leia.”

Han made a face. “A princess? Who am I? King of Ryloth? Are my parents Queen Mother Ta’a Chume and Prince Isolder?”

“What?” Poe shook his head. “Ta’a Chume is the mother of Prince Isolder and they are from Hapes, not Ryloth!”

The police officers stepped past Han and approached Poe. “Can we see your identification papers.”

Dameron wasn’t sure if there was still an arrest warrant out for him from his time as a spice runner and he didn’t want to find out the hard way. Instead he turned and ran.

Han watched as the young man ran down the street with two Twi’lek officers in close pursuit. “I didn’t realize Poe could run that fast,” Han commented as Chewie came out of hiding. “Too bad he didn’t want to partner up with us.”

Chewie growled out a long string of grunts and growls with Han nodding in agreement. “You’re right, I’ve had better partners.” He grinned at Chewie. “You’re referring to Tobias Beckett, right? He was a fairly good partner, until I had to shoot him.”

The Wookiee gave Han’s shoulder a shove and a growl making Han laugh. “No, Chewie, you’re not my best partner—that’s because you are family. Not a partner—family. “

The Wookiee made a conciliatory mewing sound.

“Come on Chewie,” Han motioned toward the end of the road. “Let’s get through that sewer grate before they return. “  
.  
.  
.

A victorious Han and Chewie returned to the Millennium Falcon with a small wooden chest wedged under the Wookiee's arm. As they entered the docking bay they slowed when they found an irate Poe Dameron leaning against the landing strut of Han’s ship.

Han grinned widely. “It looks like the local rent-boy evaded authorities.”

Poe frowned as he took a step toward the smuggler. “I’d punch your wrinkled face old man if you didn’t have a Wookiee for protection.”

Han shrugged as he looked to Chewie. “Go on into the ship, Chewie.” He pushed a button on his remote lowering the loading ramp. The Wookiee growled, questioning Han’s order. “No, go ahead. I want to see if this wet-behind-the ears space-jockey will really punch a man twice his age.”

Chewie shrugged and moved up the ramp. Han sauntered up to the young pilot and held his hands out to his side. “Go ahead, punch me. It can’t hurt more than what I endured the last few months.”

Poe immediately regretted his outburst. He knew Han was still mourning the disappearance of his son. After the attack on the Jedi Academy most of the apprentices were dead or missing. Jedi Master Skywalker had went searching for the wayward Jedi students, but then the Master himself disappeared.

“Sorry Han.”

“Ah, don’t be sorry,” the smuggler said as he walked up the loading ramp. “Just help me open the box so we can see this treasure everybody has been fighting over.”

Poe followed Han into the ship. “You mean you don’t know what’s in the chest.”

“No, but I have been told it could help build kingdoms or destroy them.”

Poe frowned. “That sounds ominous. Did you ever think there might be a bomb inside?”

“I sure hope not,” Han commented as he saw Chewie beating on the lock with a hammer. After a few strikes the lock broke and the Wookiee opened the box and peered inside. Han walked over next to his friend. “Well, what is it?”

Chewbacca reached in and pulled out a triangular metallic device covered with strange etchings and ancient writing.

Poe walked up to Chewie and went to reach the object when a shimmering image of a man appeared in front of him. Dameron jumped back and reached for his blaster before he realized it must be a hologram. He chuckled at the surprised expression of Han and Chewie. Poe motioned to the image. “Sorry, the hologram startled me.”

Han looked to Chewie who simply shrugged. “What hologram?”

Poe wasn’t sure what joke Han was pulling on him this time, but he didn’t find it amusing. “The old guy in the Jedi robes.”

It was then the image spoke. “They cannot see me. Only a person with some Force aptitude can see a Force-ghost.”

Poe laughed. “A Force ghost…sure.” He glanced at Han and Chewie. “Stop screwing around.”

“They can’t see me,” the blue shimmering image insisted. “I am Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and you must tell Han that he is in possession of a Sith artifact…a navigational device. It must be destroyed.”

“Obi-Wan Kenobi, sure,” Poe chuckled ready to dismiss this as one of Han's stunts, but the alarmed look on the smuggler's face made him pause. “Do you know an Obi-Wan Kenobi?”

Han’s jaw went slack. “Yes, but we called him Ben Kenobi. He saved my life along with Leia, Luke and Chewie’s. Leia and I named our son after him. Why?”

Poe pointed to the apparition. “Because I see him right now and he says you have a Sith device and you need to destroy it.”

Han didn’t look convinced. “Luke told me he once saw Obi-Wan…maybe he told you also and you are now playing a joke on me. If you really see him, have him tell me something that only he would know.”

Poe looked at the dead Jedi. “What would you only know?”

The spirit started talking with Poe repeating the Jedi’s words. “He said, he promised you seventeen thousand credits to transport him and Luke off Tatooine. He also said he was on Endor watching the celebration when you and Leia snuck off into an unoccupied tree hut and proceeded to…”

“Stop!” Han yelled. “I believe you.” He pointed to the triangular device. “A Sith device, huh? Does he have any suggestions for its disposal?”

Poe listened to Kenobi and relayed the message to Han. “He said make sure no Force-user touches it…even a mediocre Force-adept like me.” The pilot turned back to Kenobi. “I didn’t even know I had any Force abilities. I just thought I was simply the best pilot in the galaxy through shear skill and training.”

“No,” Kenobi replied to Poe dryly. “Your talents come mainly from the Force. Han, on the other hand, is the best pilot in the galaxy, but that is neither here nor there. You must box up the device and burn it. Melt it down.”

“What did he say?” Han asked.

“He said burn it or melt it.”

“Okay. Tell him I know just the place. We’ll take care of it.”

“Good, then see to it.” Kenobi ordered before slowly fading away.

“He’s gone.”

“Chewie, put it back in the box and then fire up the Falcon.” Han glanced over to Poe. “I assume you came in your own ship.”

The younger pilot nodded. “Yes. Can I tell your wife you will be joining her soon?”

Han sighed deeply. “Yes, I’ll dispose of this Sith device and then come home to Leia after I conclude some business with Gannis Ducain, a gunrunner that is supposed to provide some weaponry to the Resistance.”

Poe pointed to Han. “You better or Leia will have my hide.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Han waved the man away and raised the ramp as soon as Poe was off the ship. He picked up the small chest containing the device and moved up to the cockpit. “Chewie, plot a course to Mustafar. We’ll go into low orbit and shoot it out of the airlock. Nobody will find it on that lava planet.”

Chewie barked out a question.

“Yes, I know what I’m doing,” Han insisted. “Trust me. Nobody is going to find it on Mustafar. Nobody!”


End file.
